2016 Commencement: Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things

»2016 Commencement Storify

James MacLeod ’70 opened his commencement address to the Class of 2016 by encouraging them that “ordinary people can do extraordinary things.”

He highlighted the past commencement speakers he has witnessed in his nine years as a University trustee, from Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to entrepreneur and alum Ariel Acosta-Rubio ’84. “As a rather unremarkable University of Tampa economics major who collected his share of mediocre grades during my years here, I wondered what I might say that you can take away from this special gathering today to use in the years ahead,” he said.

But reflecting on his accomplishments since graduation, he concluded that with hard work and a commitment to do one’s best, “ordinary people can do extraordinary things.”

MacLeod is chairman and CEO of CoastalSouth Bancshares Inc., a bank holding company that through its subsidiary, CoastalStates Bank, offers personal and business banking services in five states. MacLeod helped found CoastalStates Bank in 2004, which is now the largest local bank in Beaufort County, SC.

He offered six “H’s” as the basic values needed to live a full life as a contributor to society: honesty, health, humor, remaining humble, happy and hope.

“If you give up on your dream, it’s unlikely it will ever occur,” MacLeod said. “And if we don’t hope for a better, more peaceful and caring world, it will never happen.”

In the crowd of more than 1,400 graduates, MacLeod also addressed one very special to him, Liz MacLeod, his wife who he met at UT in 1967 and married in 1970 when Liz was a junior. She finished her journey Saturday that she started 49 years ago.

To her and the others in the Amalie Arena, he finished by quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Matthew Hartford ’16, a criminology major from Georgetown, MA, delivered the challenge to the graduating class, noting that 2016 is a big year for the U.S. and how his fellow graduates have an important job in shaping that.

“We all have the opportunity, and now the responsibility, to take what we’ve learned to build a life off of those who have sacrificed so much for us to be here,” Hartford said.

He encouraged his classmates to constantly strive for more by always making new goals, taking on new challenges and being flexible to adapt to life.

“Our challenge is that we have a lot to do, and we want to build something that we can be proud of,” Hartford said. “We need to surround ourselves with good people, like we have at UT, because regardless of your path, none of us are in this alone.”

The Alumni Association presented two awards during the ceremony. MacLeod received the Esse Quam Videri Award, which is the highest award given by the association to a graduate of UT, and Jesse Klaucke ’11, M.S. ’13 received the Young Alumnus Award.

To see commencement from the graduates’ perspective, visit the 2016 Commencement Storify.